Fire Investigator demoted after gun stolen multiple times | People

Title (Max 100 Characters)

Tampa, Florida -- The target of a series of 10 News investigations is being demoted following an Internal Affairs investigation.

Milton Jenkins, who had been a Tampa Fire Department Fire Investigator, got into trouble because his police issued gun was stolen and fired in a home invasion. Police say Jenkins's son not only stole the gun, but also his car in the home invasion.

While Milton Jenkins didn't have much to say when we first questioned him, he is in big trouble because this is the second time his gun has been stolen. We asked Jenkins how he could have two police issued guns stolen and he told us he didn't want to say anything.

The first gun was taken more than a year ago when he left it in his car while attending a church even though he was on duty.

This time the internal affairs report says Jenkins broke several rules, including the fact he didn't notify Tampa Police the car had been stolen so it could be impounded when found; He and other fire investigators started a criminal investigation instead of letting the police department handle it. That investigation was done while Jenkins and the other investigators, who worked for him, were on duty.

In addition Jenkins, who worked as a reserve police officer, didn't notify his Tampa Police Department supervisor for five days. He didn't file a theft report with the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office as he was required to do. Then when Jenkins was told to immediately file a theft report, he still didn't do it. Because the theft report wasn't filed the missing gun was never put into the police NCIC computer and that left the Fire and Police Department open to liability if someone was hurt when it was fired.

Tampa Fire Chief Thomas Forward says because of all those violations Jenkins can no longer carry a gun and because Tampa Fire requires that its investigators be reserve police officers and carry a gun he can no longer be an investigator for the department. Jenkins is being demoted to inspector and is being dismissed from the Tampa Police Reserve squad. And despite the fact the investigation said Jenkins was guilty of incompetence and negligence, the Fire Chief says he deserves to keep working for the department, because prior to the past few years he has been an exemplary employee.

Some are saying he is getting another chance by the fact he still has a job with the fire department.